3/1/10 Menu

No basketball games until Friday and Saturday this week - so a little less time spent on the road! I am looking forward to some warmer weather and maybe some sunshine.

Hopefully I can get started on some spring cleaning this week!

Monday - round steak supreme, mashed potatoes, salad
Tuesday - cheesy spinach soup, turkey club sandwiches, chips
Wednesday - chicken tenders, french fries, coleslaw
Thursday - turkey manhattan, corn, banana pudding with peanuts
Friday - eat on the run - Tournament Semi-Finals (away - 2 hours away!)
Saturday - eat on the run - State Tournament (away - 2 hours away!) if we win Friday. Euchre tournament at church Saturday evening - taco pitch-in!
Sunday - pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, cheese ball and crackers

Recipes I will highlight this week: coleslaw, banana pudding with peanuts, Virginia's ham salad

Love Me

Bree's Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love my sister-in-law Bree! She has brought so many new and wonderful things into our lives.

(Bree and Grace in a picture I lifted from her new blog City Girl)

Grace and Lilly of course top the list - but this salad ranks pretty high too!

Have I mentioned that I LOVE spinach? Maybe I have . . . cheesy spinach soup, farm fresh spinach quiche, stuffed shells Florentine. I guess I have mentioned it a time or two.

However, I may not have mentioned that I LOVE strawberries too.

This salad has BOTH! Covered in a snappy vinaigrette.

It screams SPRING!!!!!!

Vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. minced onion

In small bowl mix above ingredients. Chill one hour.

Salad:

10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup almonds - blanched and slivered

Combine spinach, strawberries, and almonds in large salad bowl. Stir chilled vinaigrette and pour over salad; toss. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before serving.

*Note: This makes a BIG salad - great for family gatherings. I would recommend the recipe in half for just serving at home.

Thanks Bree for emailing me this recipe so I could do this post!

Love Me

Raisin Pie (and the story Cinnamon the Cat and the Raisin Pie)

This is one of my all time favorite pies! I have loved it since I was a little girl.

To me this is a spring pie - if there is such a thing. I guess because Mother would sometimes make it for Easter.

But I can't write a post about raisin pie without telling the story of our cat, Cinnamon.

Back when we lived at the little house Mother baked a raisin pie one Sunday morning before church . . .

. . . okay, stop right there.

Does this not tell you something about my mother? She baked a pie BEFORE church WHILE getting two young girls dressed and ready for Sunday School.

In fact, she probably hung three loads of clothes out on the line and painted the north side of the barn before church as well.

Somehow still managing to leave on time with the two of us girls in matching dresses she made the night before - all without Daddy sitting in the car honking for her to hurry up.

Okay, back to the story about the cat . . .

Mother pulled the pie out of the oven and left it on the counter to cool. We would have it for dessert after we ate the Sunday roast beast - as Daddy would always call it.

I am not sure if I got jerked from the pew and whisked away to the side bathroom for some parental instruction during the sermon that particular Sunday - but if I did, it was probably because I was thinking about eating that raisin pie. That or picking my nose.

After listening to the Pastor sing Ship Ahoy - all six verses - we finally left for home.

When we got home, we found that our cat, Cinnamon, had eaten the crust from off of half the pie! Mother was afraid that Cinnamon had licked the pie itself or perhaps even done worse to the pie . . . you know, raisins being brown and all.

She refused to take a chance. She threw the whole pie out!

What a travesty! What a waste of precious, plump, sweet raisins!

And that, my friends, is the story of Cinnamon the Cat and the Raisin Pie.

2 cups raisins
2 cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. butter

Pastry for double crust pie

Boil raisins in 1 3/4 cups water for 5 minutes.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt; moisten with remaining 1/4 cup cold water and add to raisins, stirring until mixture boils.

Remove from heat and add vinegar and butter. Pour into pie crust and cover with strips of pie crust.

Bake 25 minutes in a 425 degree oven.

Love Me

Round Steak Supreme

This is a real man-pleaser of a recipe. Serve this up with some buttery mashed potatoes, green beans, and dinner rolls and the world is your oyster.

Whatever that means.

I will be using venison from the freezer for this recipe. I usually pound round steak before cooking it - just to make it more tender.

It also is a great stress reducer.

2 1/2 pounds round steak
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. onion salt
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. oil
Fresh tomatoes or canned whole tomatoes, drained

Cut meat into serving sizes. Coat with flour. Beat eggs and mix with milk. Combine cracker crumbs, cheese, pepper, parsley, and salt.

Dip meat in egg mixture then in crumb mixture. Brown in oil. Place in 2 quart baking dish. Arrange tomato slices over meat.

Stir water into drippings, heat to boiling, scraping brown bits from pan. Pour over meat. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Love Me

Chicken-Sour Cream Enchiladas

I love cooking Mexican at home. My only wish - I wish I had a set of Fiestaware to serve it on!

The green dishes are my favorite!

1 med. onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
16 oz. sour cream, divided
4 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided
12 6-inch flour tortillas
3 (4.5 oz) cans diced green chilies, divided
1 1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. flour

Sauce onion in oil over med. heat for 5 minutes.

Stir together chicken, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese, and sauteed onion. Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas and roll. Placed rolled tortillas in sprayed 9x13 pan.

Whisk 2 cans of chilies, milk, and flour in saucepan over med heat - gradually add cheese until melted and smooth. Pour over tortillas.

Spread remaining sour cream over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 -25 minutes.

Drain last can of chilies - spread on top before serving.

Love Me

2/22/10 Menu

Joel is nearing tournament time in basketball and has a slew of make-up games before then. So this week will again be spent a lot on the road.

Levi fortunately got out of getting his wisdom teeth extracted - it seems his trouble was more easily fixed with two root canals. He didn't miss a meal although he was pretty sore and swollen! He is back to work and school and will applaud the fact that I plan on getting groceries today.

Megan has been working a lot at the hospital as we are adjusting to a new computer program - in fact, she will most likely be working upstairs in the Breast Care Center with me today. She, too, will probably applaud the fact that I plan on getting groceries today. That is until I ask her to go with me!

Tuesday - chicken-sour cream enchiladas/chips and salsa (after Joel's home game)
Wednesday - chili with peanut butter sandwiches (before church)
Thursday - round steak supreme/mashed potatoes/green beans (enjoy our one night at home!)
Friday - left-over chili (before we leave for Joel's away game - 2 hours away)
Saturday - farm fresh spinach quiche (breakfast) soup and sandwiches (lunch) Grace, Grandpa and Andrew's Birthday Party at my parents that night
Sunday - ham loaf/buttered potatoes/Bree's strawberry-spinach salad/raisin pie - YUMMY!

Sunday's menu is most likely exactly what I will be serving for our Easter dinner - but I guess we can call this practice. Right?

Recipes I will highlight this week: chicken-sour cream enchiladas, round steak supreme, ham loaf, Bree's strawberry-spinach salad, and raisin pie.

Love Me

Ritz Mock Apple Pie

While not low carb by any means - I love this recipe. It is one in my collection of Grandma White recipes.

There is just something historic about it - something novel that intrigues me.

This is an apple pie that does not contain apples. Instead of apples it has soda crackers that mysteriously change form to taste, well - like apples.

Background: In the nineteenth century, American pioneers, short on supplies of fresh apples, came up with an innovative way to make their favorite pie without apples. Their secret: soda crackers. Americans, though disappointed with the lack of apples, became so enthralled with a easy-and-quick-to-make pie that tasted very much like the original that the recipe became a public success. In 1936, Ritz Crackers introduced a recipe that called for their very own round-shaped crackers. This recipe has become a classic:

Pastry for two-crust 9 inch pie
36 Ritz Crackers, coarsely broken
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
grated rind of one lemon
2 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
(No apples are needed)

Roll out half the pastry and line a 9-inch pie plate. Place crackers in prepared crust. In saucepan, over high heat, heat water, sugar and cream of tartar to a boil; simmer for 15 minutes. Add lemon juice and rind; cool.

Pour syrup over crackers. Dot with margarine; sprinkle with cinnamon.

Roll out remaining pastry; place over pie. Trim, seal and flute edges. Slit top crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 425 degress for 30-35 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. Cool completely.

Love Me

Black Forest Pie

For some reason I have a strange attraction to cherries . . . I love fresh cherries, canned cherries, dried cherries . . . and chocolate covered cherries!

And for some reason I crave cherries in the winter. Go figure.

Well, it is winter and I am craving cherries. Maybe this sweet little lower calorie dessert will do the trick.

8 oz. thawed Lite Cool Whip
1 graham cracker pie crust
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving) Sugar-Free instant chocolate pudding
1 cup Lite or No Sugar Added cherry pie filling

Spread 1 cup of whipped topping on bottom of pie crust. Combine milk and pudding mix in bowl. Blend with wire whisk for 1 minutes. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the whipped topping.

Spread pudding mixture over whipped topping layer. Spread remaining whipped topping over top, leaving a 1-inch border and forming a depression in the center of the topping.

Spoon cherry pie filling in the center. Chill at least 2 hours. Garnish with melted chocolate if desired.

Love Me

Fruit Cocktail Cake

When I was in nursing school, I worked every other weekend as a CNA at a little 25 bed nursing home in the town we lived. This nursing home wasn't anything fancy, but I learned a lot while there and am glad for the experience.

One thing in particular I remember about this place (besides trying to feed a dead woman breakfast) was the food - not something you usually think of when it comes to nursing homes. But the food at this place was fabulous!

When the cook would make fruit cocktail cake, there was no problem getting the residents to go to the dining room. You never saw wheelchairs move so fast!

The fruit cocktail cake they served was rich and buttery and probably wasn't approved by the house physician. However, following restrictive diets wasn't something I really remember as being a priority there.

But keeping true to my word to post healthier, low sugar recipes in February this recipe is a lower calorie, healthier version of the fruit cocktail cake made so famous by the then Henderson Nursing Home (which has changed owners at least 3 times since I worked there).

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix (I use Pillsbury Reduced Sugar Yellow Cake Mix)
1 lg. can fruit cocktail, drained and rinsed

Mix cake mix by package directions. Add drained and rinsed fruit cocktail. Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Frosting:

1 (8 oz.) Lite Cool Whip
1 sm. pkg. sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
toasted coconut (optional)

Mix pudding with milk. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled cake and if you feel so inclined toast up a little coconut and garnish the top of the frosted cake.

Refrigerate before serving.

Love Me

Sour Cream Scalloped Potatoes

This a recipe my mom wrote out for me and put in the Longaberger recipe basket/box she bought me while I was engaged.

Since I am feeling nostalgic about engagements, I thought of this recipe and decided to make it when my parents come over for Sunday dinner.

I will probably double this recipe for Sunday and bake in 13 x 9 glass dish. Any leftovers will reheat nicely.

2 large baking potatoes or 4 to 5 regular potatoes
1 med. onion, diced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup sour cream
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
salt
pepper
paprika

Peel and slice potatoes 1/8" thick. Precook in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes; drain and set aside.

Saute onion in butter until glossy. Stir in sour cream and heat through but do not boil.

Layer in buttered 2 quart baking dish 1/2 of potatoes, egg slices and sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Repeat layers.

Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Be careful not to over bake.

Love Me

2/15/10 Menu

Snow, snow, snow - another 4 inches today.

Brian took a vacation day today and we had planned on taking Joel someplace fun . . .

- Creation Museum?
- Bass Pro Shop near Louisville?
- State Museum?
- Spring Mill?

. . . but thanks to the snow, we have spent the day at home. It looks like our big adventure today may be a huge antique mall not too far away.

Brian hopes we will run across a priceless Batman collector's item
. . . and I am looking to snag a new bowl or maybe these . . .

Jadite measuring cups - I think I am in love!

Monday - cardboard pizza (a/k/a grocery store frozen pizza), cheesy puffcorn, chicken noodle soup, and orange rolls - Brian said this is good "snowed in" food
Tuesday - chicken BBQ pizza, chips, tropical fruit salad (after Joel's basketball game)
Wednesday - pulled pork sandwiches, chips, applesauce (before church)
Thursday - tomato soup, grilled cheese, and dill pickles (Levi gets his wisdom teeth out - I figured he would appreciate something that doesn't require a lot of chewing. Joel has a home game.)
Friday - cheese ravioli with marinara, salad, garlic bread (Levi will still be home recovering. Joel has an away game.)
Saturday - chili (traditional) with peanut butter sandwiches
Sunday - venison roast, green beans, sour cream scalloped potatoes, fruit cocktail cake. (I have invited my parents over for lunch.)

Recipes I will highlight this week: sour cream scalloped potatoes and fruit cocktail cake.

Love Me

Venison Ribs

I don't have much experience cooking ribs. They are not something I EVER buy.

I put ribs in the same category as chicken wings - a lot of work for not a lot of meat.

But considering I have two boxes of venison in the freezer - thank you Joel and Danny - I have some frozen ribs, and I need to cook them.

Or put a sweater on. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

This is another Pioneer Woman recipe that I have adapted to suit my family's tastes. It is basic and simple.

The only thing difficult about this recipe for me will be scouring and re-seasoning my cast iron Dutch oven. At this very moment it is outside in the fire pit underneath a pile of ashes which is underneath a pile of snow.

Don't ask why.

I love cast iron and I cook almost exclusively with it. Cast iron is virtually indestructible.

Which is why I am not worried that my Dutch oven is outside in the fire pit underneath a pile of ashes which is underneath a pile of snow.

Beef or Venison Ribs (I am using venison)
salt & pepper - to taste
¼ cups all-purpose flour
6 pieces bacon, cut in small pieces
2 Tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 whole carrots, diced very small
3-4 cups beef broth (enough to almost cover ribs)
dash of thyme and rosemary

Salt and pepper ribs, then coat in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until completely crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Do not discard grease.

Add oil to pan with the saved bacon grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides. Remove ribs onto plate. Turn heat down to medium.

Add onions and carrots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in 1 cup of beef broth and scrape bottom of pan; bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add remaining broth, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste. Add ribs to the liquid (ribs should be almost completely submerged). Add thyme and rosemary.

Bake in covered dutch oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours. Reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes - or until ribs are fork-tender.

Allow to cool. Skim off fat from top - which will most likely not be necessary if using venison. Reheat and serve over mashed potatoes with a side of steamed broccoli.

Love Me

Cheesy Spinach Soup

This soup is somewhat like broccoli cheese soup - but only with spinach!

I have loved spinach since I was a little girl. What's not to love?

This God-given dark, leafy green is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, vitamin E, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper. Plus, it’s a good source of selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids.

To learn more about spinach, go to http://www.naturally-healthy-eating.com/benefits-of-spinach.html.

Aside from being good for you, this soup is easy to make, smooooooth and delicious!

2 cups (16 oz.) of fat-free chicken broth with 30% less sodium
1 (9 oz.) pkg. of frozen spinach
1 tsp. onion powder
1 (12 oz.) can of fat-free evaporated milk
3 Tbsp. flour
8 oz. (1/4 block) Velveeta cheese, cubed

In saucepan, combine broth, frozen spinach, and onion powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until spinach is thoroughly cooked.

In small bowl or gravy mixer, combine milk and flour; blend until smooth. Add to soup; cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

Reduce heat to low; simmer 2 minutes. Add cheese; cook and stir until cheese is melted and soup is thoroughly heated.

Serve soup with a full-flavored sandwich like ham on rye, turkey on pumpernickel, or venison BBQ on buns like we had last night.

If serving with chips, try Lay's Lightly Salted Chips.

Love Me

2/8/10 Menu

This week has already gotten off to an interesting start.

Levi, who has been battling a horrible tooth ache due to incoming wisdom teeth, woke up this morning with his throat nearly swollen shut.

Due to the fact that breathing is encouraged in our house, we spent the morning in the doctor's office getting a new antibiotic to combat the raging infection taking place in his mouth as a result of these emerging bicuspids.

Levi and I ended up being gone all day - Md, pharmacy, school . . .

Megan had a sub job today - 8th grade special education . . .

Brian picked up Joel after basketball practice and took him to his 6:45 soccer game - which they won . . .

All of this meant that no one was home to:

1. clean the kitchen;
2. straighten the house;
3. start the laundry;
4. take the dog out;
5. keep the fire going;
6. plan a menu; or
7. make a grocery list.

Which means:

1. there are no clean cups, bowls, or spoons;
2. the house is a mess;
3. there is one clean kitchen towel remaining;
4. Scooby peed on the floor;
5. the fire is out and the house is cold;
6. we are eating cereal for supper;
7. Brian and Joel stopped at Walmart on their way home and bought milk and cereal.

Like I said, this week is already looking interesting.

Add to the mix two long-distance away ballgames and the prediction of 5-9 inches of snow. . . and it looks like I will be keeping to pretty simple suppers.

Monday - waffles, cereal or leftover meatballs from yesterday - a virtual smorgasbord of choices
Tuesday - potato soup with beans, homemade sausage and mushroom pizza - to be eaten after Joel's away basketball game or while we are snuggled up next to the fire enjoying being snowed in!
Wednesday - venison BBQ sandwiches, chips, fruit salad
Thursday - patty melts and/or left over BBQ sandwiches, cheesy spinach soup
Friday - eat out after Joel's away game
Saturday - Ribs! I am searching for a good recipe.
Sunday - eat out/prepare for Valentine Banquet

Recipes I will highlight this week: cheesy spinach soup and whatever rib recipe I decide on.

Love Me

Easy, Yummy Crock Pot Meatballs

This is a no-fail recipe. Simple and to the point.

One day last summer Joel was life guarding and his friend, Colin, was sitting with him. I made these meatballs and put them on a bed of rice in two small Tupperware containers and took them to the boys for lunch.

Colin wanted me to adopt him.

1 pkg. frozen homestyle meatballs (80 count)
1 jar ChiChi's Original Mild Salsa
1 jar apricot preserves

Mix all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until meatballs are thoroughly heated.

Love Me

Ultimate Stuffed Mushrooms

While not being a huge mushroom fun, I am fond of these. I mean, really, what's not to like?

They are warm, cheesy bite-size snacks . . and they are low carb and low fat. Yeah for me!

I will assemble them at home but bake them at church because it would be impossible to keep them warm - and they definitely need to be served warm.

20 mushrooms
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp finely chopped onions
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red peppers (I use the jarred roasted red pepper)
14 Ritz crackers, finely crushed (about 1/2 cup crumbs)
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Removed stems from mushrooms and use a melon baller to carefully scoop a little mushroom flesh from the cap. Finely chop flesh and stems - enough to measure 1/4 cup; set aside. Cover and refrigerate remaining stems for other use.

Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped mushroom flesh and stems, the onions and peppers; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Stir in cracker crumbs, cheese, and Italian seasoning.

Spoon crumb mixture evenly into mushroom caps. Place on baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes or until heated through.

Carb. 2 g; Fat 2.5 g

Love Me

WW Puff Pastry

This is an amazing recipe that proves you can do more with crackers than put a slice of cheese on them.

After sitting in the refrigerator overnight absorbing moisture from the pudding and Cool Whip, the saltines puff up and become soft - thus the name Puff Pastry.

Yummy and pretty guilt free.

Box of saltine crackers
2 pkgs. vanilla or chocolate sugar-free instant pudding (prepared according to package directions)
1 can light cherry pie filling
1 - 8 oz. container of Lite Cool Whip (more is even better)

In a 9 x 12 pan line bottom with crackers. Pour prepared pudding on the crackers, then add a second layer of crackers.

Spread cherry pie filling on second layer; then add a third layer of crackers.

Top with Lite Cool Whip. Cover and refrigerate overnight (preferably) or at least several hours.

12 servings. WW points 3.

Thank you to Emmalea, Brian's mom and former WW leader for this recipe.

Super Bowl Menu

We are having our evening church service early on Sunday night and then staying to watch the Super Bowl with our church family. It will be a pitch-in of epic proportions.

Well maybe not epic, but there will be lots of good things to eat - you can be sure of that.

I have decided to take the following:

Ultimate Stuffed Mushrooms . . . because I love Shannon.
Easy Chocolate-Cherry Cake . . . because I love chocolate and cherries.
Meatballs . . . because I love my boys.
WW Puff Pastry . . . because I need to be good.

Love Me

Hamburger Casserole a/k/a Cheeseburger Pie

This recipe is one I haven't made in years.

I used to make it all of the time when we lived at the other house. The other house . . .

Isn't it funny by what means we use to tell time? My married life is divided in time by the two houses we have lived in. Life with babies and toddlers was at the "other house" and life with school age kids has been at our current house.

It's kind of like how Daddy remembers what year we three kids were each born. "Oh, Elaine was born the year I bought that four-row planter," or "Danny was born that summer when we had the bad drought and it didn't rain from May to August."

Actually, I do remember the year Danny was born - it was really hot and dry and eventful.

We had an old sow that had a hurt leg that summer. She had gotten into a squabble with some of the other sows and had lost. Daddy took her out of the barn with the others and let her rest and heal just outside the feed lot.

We built her a temporary shelter for her to lie under and be protected from the sun, and it was my job to water her. I would water her with the hose a couple times a day and spend time talking to her and singing to her because that's just how I am.

It helped her heal. My singing can do that.

But the old sow wasn't the only thing that needed watered that summer. We also had to water our propane tank. It was accidentally over-filled, and when it got too hot it would spray propane out the top.

I am not exactly sure what the consequence of this free-spraying propane was, but I was certain that it was of the utmost importance that the tank did not get too hot.

So when I watered the old sow, I would also spray some water on the propane tank. Keeping it cool and thus keeping the world from ending.

A lot of responsibility to put on the shoulders of an eleven year old.

In between my life-sustaining watering responsibilities, I was also responsible for keeping the goats out of the road.

These goats were not livestock but rather our pets. Pets who had the propensity to stand in the middle of the road.

Fortunately, we lived on a dead end road with just a few neighbors. Neighbors who knew our goats liked to stand in the road.

When the goats were in the road, the neighbors would honk their horn and we would quickly come running - waving the fly swatter and chasing the goats back into the yard. All was well and good until one of our neighbors found it amusing to just stop and honk in front of the house even if no goats were in the road.

It seems he found it amusing to see us running and waving the fly swatter after non-existent goats.

That was one of the best summers I remember growing up.

Anyway, this recipe was one of my standbys back at the "other house." Which means, Joel doesn't remember it, Megan turned her nose up when I mentioned it, and Levi started to drool at the thought of it.

So for what it's worth, here is cheeseburger pie c. 1995.

Dough:
1 cup Bisquick
1/4 cold water
Filling:
1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained (Actually, you don't have to use the whole pound. I would usually save out 1/4 of it to use to make patty melts another day. Just keeping it real.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. Bisquick
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
Topping:
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
1 cup shredded cheese

In bowl, mix 1 cup baking mix with water until soft dough forms; beat vigorously 20 strokes. Gently smooth dough into a ball on a floured board. Knead five times. Roll dough 2 in. larger than inverted 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Ease into plate; flute edge of desired.

Mix browned and drained ground beef with salt, pepper, 2 Tbsp. Bisquick, and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon into pie crust; set aside.

Mix eggs and cottage cheese in bowl; pour over beef mixture. Arrange tomato slices in circle on top; sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes or until set.

Love Me

Au Gratin Potatoes

Funny story about au gratin potatoes.

When Megan was about seven, she asked us to pass her the old rotten potatoes thinking that is what we were saying when we said au gratin potatoes.

Silly MeMee.

Love Me

Waldorf Salad

This recipe reminds me of my grandmother - my mother's mom.

It also reminds me of spring. I like to think about spring.

Especially when the forecast is for 4-7 inches of snow.

apple (I peel mine because I don't like the peel. However, it is prettier if you leave the peel on.)
celery (I leave this out because I don't like celery.)
walnuts, chopped
grapes (I prefer red, but they were too expensive this week, so I am using green.)
salad dressing (What my mom calls Miracle Whip. Use just enough to coat the fruit and nuts.)
sugar (I add just enough to slightly sweeten the salad dressing.)

Mix the first four ingredients in whatever proportions suit you. In a separate bowl mix salad dressing with small amount of sugar. Stir into fruit mixture. Refrigerate to blend flavors.

Enjoy and think of spring!

Love Me

Crock-Roasted Chicken with Rotisserie Rub

Another super easy chicken recipe.

1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 1/2 - 4 lb)
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Rinse and pat chicken dry (discard giblets and neck). Coat crock pot with cooking spray.

Combine paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in bowl. Stir in warm water by the teaspoonful until thick paste forms. Coat chicken inside and out with seasoned paste before placing in cooker, breast side up.

Cover. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours or on high 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature at thickest part of thigh is 180 degrees.

Remove chicken from crock pot. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and carve.

Servings: 4 Total carbs: 2 g.

Love Me

2/1/10 Menu

I work a lot this week and Joel has two basketball games. Fortunately, they are home games - unlike the rest of his games this month.

I am longing for spring and warmer weather.

Maybe the Waldorf salad will help.

Monday - fish fillets, Waldorf salad, oven fries
Tuesday - crock-roasted chicken with rotisserie rub, mashed potatoes, green beans -
Wednesday - hamburger casserole, chips
Thursday - venison swiss steak, boxed au gratin potatoes, steamed broccoli
Friday - eat out after Joel's home basketball game (Senior Night)
Saturday - farm-fresh spinach quiche and blueberry muffins (since I didn't make it this past weekend)
Sunday - I haven't quite decided. I am contemplating a low-carb lasagna.

Recipes I will highlight this week: crock-roasted chicken with rotisserie rub, Waldorf salad, and hamburger casserole.

Love Me